ICPEN members write open letter to the fashion and textiles sector

Twenty members of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) have written an open letter to the fashion and textile sector to highlight the importance of complying with consumer protection law, when making environmental claims.

The letter encourages businesses to raise standards of compliance by providing common principles that apply when making environmental claims. National laws may vary, but this letter emphasises that the same basic principles apply to businesses across many different countries. These include:

• Ensuring that claims are truthful, clear and accurate
• Making claims only when there is already sufficient evidence to substantiate the claim.
• Avoid using vague and general claims, such as ‘eco-friendly’, ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’.
• Avoid unsubstantiated claims about future aspirations and focus on specific measures already taken or underway to reach future goals.

This letter does not necessarily indicate that any individual ICPEN member will prioritise enforcement action on misleading environmental claims, and some member jurisdictions may have stricter or more specific rules in place.

You can read the full letter here